BJP contests Rajan report on Gujrat as Congress revels

The Raghuram Rajan panel report that put Maharashtra among the seven most developed states and Gujarat among the eleven less developed states started a fresh bout of sparring between the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress.

Welcoming the report, the Congress said that the much publicised Gujarat model was fictitious while the BJP said that the Narendra Modi-led state did not need any ranking because the people and investors have already ranked it the most developed region in the country.

Maharashtra has been claiming to have received the most foreign direct investment in the country, with industrial development in all prominent sectors.

The state government leaders have spoken of engendering inclusive development.

As per the report, the state, with Mumbai as the financial capital of the country, has topped the service sector category.

But, the report did not go down well with the state BJP leaders.

“I do not know the parameters based on which the inferences were drawn. But the BJP still believes that Gujarat is a prime attraction for common people and investors,” said state BJP president Devendra Fadnavis.

“It is absolutely evident that the Gujarat model has excelled in sevAs per the report, states with a score of 0.6 and above on the Index have been classified as Least Developed. States with a score below 0.6 and above 0.4 have been classified as Less Developed; and states with a score of below 0.4 as Relatively Developed. Maharashtra is among the seven most developed states. Other states in this category are Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Haryana. As per the report, Gujarat is among the eleven Less eral sectors. The state’s growth rate is higher than Maharashtra. Rate of unemployment is less than Maharashtra. Its cities are far better than any other state and power supply is consistent and ever reliable,” he told HT.

State Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant took this opportunity to dismiss Gujarat’s claims of rapid development.

“We have been saying since the beginning that Gujarat’s projection as the most developed state is not based on fact. BJP has been fabricating Developed states. BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh are among the 10 Least Developed states. Other states in this category are Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, UP and Rajasthan. facts to make a people-friendly impression for political gains.”

Sawant said the Congress model of development would further anchor the country’s prosperity.

Fadnavis said he did not intend to criticise Rajan but maintained that known economists have failed the country when it came to their policy-making.

“Historically lesser known economists, who people do not rate high, have worked effectively for develop ing the country.”